Roadside Restyle ~ Classic French Dresser

I just have to say I have the sweetest man ever. He’s always willing to help in any way possible. And I don’t believe he’s ever said the EN-OH word to me when I needed a hand.

A few weeks back, M-M-M sent me a text with these two pics attached…
“What do you think? Pick them up?”

Now we all know I’m always up for an amazing roadside redo – so I texted back a big “YES” with about 20 explanation marks! What I didn’t know; M-M-M had to make two trips because he didn’t have enough room in his van. If that’s not sweet enough, he was also running late for a meeting and still took the time to load these babies up!

Is that loooove or what!? <3

I was thrilled when he brought them home because both pieces have gorgeous lines and are crafted by the reputable Victoriaville in QC. To restyle the tall french provincial, all that was needed was new drawer guides and a few deep scratches filled. No biggie. Then this shapely girl was primed and given a flawless spray finish in General Finishes Antique White.

If you’ve ever wondered about or considered spraying with General Finishes Milk Paint – try it! – the results are outstanding!

I kept the original hardware and lined the drawers for a clean detailed look.

I love the perfection of this finish. Very nice. I’m a bit fussy when it comes to finishes. I like the whitewashed look but I want the feel to be flawless. It looks like you well have accomplished this. Beautiful piece.

Thanks Athena! I pick up paper from Marshall’s, HobbyLobby, TJ Maxx or wherever I find prints or colors I like. As I was telling Tatania (in an earlier comment), I don’t remember where I bought this particular one but it may have been Hobby Lobby. 🙂

Hi there, This dresser is beautiful. I’m thinking about painting my kitchen cabinets and stumbled on your site while trying to decide between Snow White and Antique white. By any chance have you used general finishes Snow White? If so what is your opinion on the difference in colour? Paint tends to pull quite yellow in my home and I’m afraid the antique white will be too yellow but I’m afraid the Snow White will be too stark. Oh what a dilemma! Any input would be greatly appreciated

Thanks Jen. 🙂 Hmmm, I’ve used GF Antique White numerous times (and always have it on hand!) because I like the warm undertones. But GF Snow White is equally gorgeous if your looking for a more modern clean white. Having said that, I haven’t purchased any GF Snow White because I have a few gallons of Sherwin Williams #7006 Extra White in my inventory which is almost identical. It has almost a slight bluish undertone which gives it a stark/clean look. Personal preference for sure. Good luck… I’m sure either one you choose will look stunning Jen!

Hi Tatiana! It’s actually a nice gift wrap – but unfortunately I don’t recall where I bought it. Possibly from Hobby Lobby in the States as I like to stock up when I cross border shop there. I have a little left that may be enough for the dresser you purchased today. You’re more than welcome to come pick it up if you’d like. 🙂

Yes Cathy, General Finishes advises sanding first. I usually use 220 grit and sand it down as if I’m wiping my kitchen counter tops down. Then give it a sanding and remove all additional dust with a tack cloth. 🙂

l love the dresser. I have a similar one that I’m wanting to paint for my granddaughter’s bedroom.
My question is what kind of clear coat or top coat should I use for a child’s dresser that will receive lots of use ?
Thanks

Wax or poly is a good choice for dressers. However the wax often needs to be reapplied down the road. If you think the piece may take a beating (like my friend who has 5 energetic boys!), then poly may be the better choice.

Your website came up during a google search of General Finishes Milk Paint. I’m so grateful it did. I’ve recently purchased an antique or vintage (I’m not sure what categorizes what) dresser and want to use General Finishes Milk Paint. I’m between the colors of Linen and Antique white but quite unsure. Is the Antique White creamy/ivory or is it WHITE?

I’m great Ashley! Hope you’re doing well! General Finishes Antique White is more of a soft creamy white (but not too yellow though!) rather than a start white… it’s a gorgeous neutral that will slightly pick up on the color and lighting in any room. The linen is darker. I really soft muted beige almost. I painted this Waterfall Dresser in GF Linen. Hope this helps. 🙂

So pretty! I will have to give GF milk paint a try soon! My friends have been raving about it. And I love how you switched the hardware the other direction. It makes the piece look so much happier with smiley pulls instead of frowny ones! 🙂

…lol…thank Mary! I don’t know what the heck these weeds were but they did the job. You know what weed(s) I absolutely LOVE to use in bouquets?… (and I’ll stop roadside to pick them) is Queen Anne’s Lace!

I have used the Wagner and I do not like it at all. How does the Husky HVLP compare; the lightness of it or lack there of. I can’t hold onto anything heavy anymore. How easy is it to clean? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance

Colleen, I didn’t have any luck with Wagner either, so I much prefer my Husky Spray Gun. Having said that, it’s kind of an unfair comparison seeing as Wagner’s are not run off a compressor. The Husky is lighter than the Wagner systems (1.345lbs) but there is still some weight to it once I add the paint to my gravity feed cup. Clean up is fairly easy with water based products – not so fun with shellacs/oil based etc as mineral spirits and paint thinners are required.

Beautiful!!!! I love your work. Thanks so much for sharing it. I just purchased this milk paint. Did you put any type of top coat over the paint? Also, do you think milk paint would hold up well on kitchen cabinets? Thanks!

Thanks Rosemary and feel free to let me know what you think once you try your General Finishes Milk Paint – I think you’ll love it! This GF Milk Paint is not a ‘real’ milk paint (like the powdered forms that you mix with water) but rather a high quality acrylic paint that comes in gorgeous old fashion milk paint colors. It would be ideal for kitchen cabinets because it adheres really well and is super durable. And oh.. I used GF High Performance Water Based Flat as the top coat. I forgot to add this so thanks for asking. 🙂